〃Hold on a second；〃 he cut in； politely but with authority。 〃Senator Lord？ Sir； are you there？〃
〃I'm here。〃
〃Frank？〃 I said in amazement。 〃Where are you？ Are you in France？〃
I wondered how long he had been conferenced in and listening。
〃Now listen； Kay。 This is important；〃 Senator Lord told me in a voice that reminded me of who he was。 〃Go and go right away。 We need your help。〃
〃We？〃
Then Talley spoke。 〃You and Marino need to be at the Millionaire private terminal at four…thirty。 That's A。M。 your time。 Less than six hours from now。〃
〃I can't leave right now 。 。 。〃 I started to say as Lucy filled my doorway。
〃Don't be late。 Your New York connection leaves at eight…thirty；〃 he told me。
I thought Senator Lord had hung up； but suddenly his voice was there。
〃Fhank you； Agent Talley；〃 he said。 〃I'll talk to her now。〃
I could hear Talley get off the line。
〃I want to know how you're doing； Kay；〃 my friend the senator said。
〃I've got no idea。〃
〃I care；〃 he said。 〃I won't let anything happen to you。 Just trust me。 Now tell me how you're feeling。〃
〃Other than being summoned to France and about to be fired and 。 。 。〃 I started to add what had happened to Lucy； but she was standing right there。
〃Everything's going to be fine；〃 Senator Lord said。
〃Whatever everything is；〃 I replied〃Trust me。〃
I always had。
〃You're going to be asked to do things that you're going to resist。 Things that will scare you。〃
〃I don't scare easily； Frank；〃 I said。
31
Marino picked me up at quarter of four。 It was a heartless hour of the morning that reminded me of sleepless rotations in hospitals； of early days in my career when I was the one who got the calls for cases nobody else wanted。
〃Now you know what it feels like to be on midnight shift；〃 Marino mented as we cut through icy roads。
〃I know all about it anyway；〃 I replied。
〃Yeah； but the difference is； you don't have to。 You could send someone else to scenes and stay home。 You're the chief。〃
〃I'm always leaving Lucy when she needs me； Marino。〃
〃I'm telling you； Doc； she understands。 She's probably gonna be heading up to D。C。 anyway to deal with all this review board shit。〃
I hadn't told him about Dorothy's visit。 It would have served no purpose other than to set him off。
〃You're on the faculty at MCV I mean； you're a real doctor。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃Can't you just go talk to the administrator or something？〃 he said； punching in the cigarette lighter。 〃Couldn't you pull some strings so Lucy could go in there？〃
〃As long as Jo isn't capable of making decisions； her family has plete control over who visits and who doesn't。〃
〃Fucking religious wackos。 Bible…banging Hitlers。〃
〃There was a time when you were pretty narrowminded； too； Marino；〃 I reminded him。 〃Seems to me you used to talk about queers and fags。 I don't even want to repeat some of the words I've heard you use。〃
〃Yeah。 Well； I never meant any of it。〃
At the Millionaire jet center the temperature was in the low twenties and hard； icy wind grabbed and shoved me as I collected luggage out of the back of the truck。 We were met by two pilots who didn't say much as they opened a gate to lead us across the tarmac； where a Uarjet was hooked up to a power cart。 A thick manila envelope with my name on it was in one of the seats； and when we took off into the clear； cold night； I turned off cabin lights and slept until we landed in Teterboro； New Jersey。
A dark blue Explorer glided our way as we climbed down the metal steps。 It was snowing small flakes that stung my face。
〃Cop。〃 Marino gave the nod as the Explorer stopped close to the plane。
〃How do you know？〃
〃I always know；〃 he said。
The driver was in jeans and a leather coat and looked as if he'd seen life from every angle and was happy to pick us up。 He packed our baggage in the trunk。 Marino climbed in front and off they。 sailed into one ment and story after another because the driver was NYPD and Marino used to be。 I floated in and out of their conversation as I dozed。
〃。 。 。 Adams in the detective division； he called around eleven。 i guess Interpol got him first。 I didn't know he had anything to do with them。〃
〃Oh yeah？〃 Marino's voice was muted and soporific like bourbon on the rocks。 〃Some tear…ass I bet 。 ： ：'
〃Naw。 He's okay 。 。 ：〃
I slept and drifted； city lights touching my eyelids as I began to feel that empty ache again。
〃。 。 。 got so shit…faced one night I woke up the next morning and didn't know where my car or crass were。 That was my wake…up call 。 。 。〃
The only other time I had flown supersonic had been with Benton。 I remembered his body against me； the intense heat of my breasts touching him as we sat in those small gray leather seats and drank French wine； staring at jars of caviar we had no intention of eating。
I remembered exchanging hurtful words that turned into desperate lovemaking in London； in a flat near the American Embassy。 Maybe Dorothy was right。 Maybe sometimes I was too much in my mind and not as open as I wanted to be。 But she was wrong about Benton。 He had never been weak； and we had never been tepid in bed。
〃Dr。 Scarpetta？〃
A voice grabbed my attention。
〃We're here；〃 our driver said； eyeing me in the rearview mirror。
I rubbed my face with my hands and stifled a yawn。 Winds were stronger here； the temperature lower。 At the Air France ticket counter I checked us in because I didn't trust Marino with tickets or passports or even finding the right gate without being an ass。 Flight 2 left in about an hour and a half； and the instant I sat down in the Concorde lounge； I felt exhausted again； my eyes burning。 Marino was in awe。
〃Look at that； will you？〃 he whispered too loudly。 〃They got a full bar。 That guy over there's drinking a beer and it's seven o'clock in the morning。〃
Marino took that as his wake…up call。
〃Want anything？〃 he asked。 〃How 'bout a newspaper？〃
〃Right now I don't give a damn what's going on in the world。〃 I wished he would leave me alone。
When he returned； he was carrying two plates piled high with Danish； cheese and crackers。 He had a can of Heineken under an arm。
〃Guess what；〃 he said； setting his breakfast snack on the coffee table next to him。 〃It's almost three o'clock in the afternoon； French time。〃
He popped open the beer。
〃They got people mixing champagne and orange juice； you ever heard of that？ And I'm pretty sure there's somebody famous sitting over there。 She's got sunglasses on and everybody's staring。〃
I didn't care。
〃The guy she's with looks famous； too； sort of like Mel Brooks；〃
〃Does the woman in sunglasses look like Anne Bancroft？〃 I muttered。
〃Yeah！〃
〃Then it's Mel Brooks。〃
Other passengers； dressed far more expensively than we were； glanced our way。 A man rattled Le Monde and sipped espresso。
〃Saw her in The Graduate。 You remember that？〃 Marino went on。
I was awake now and wished I could hide somewhere。
〃That was my fantasy。 Shit。 Like that schoolteacher giving you tutoring after hours。 The one who made you cross your legs。〃
〃You can see the Concorde through the window over there。〃 I pointed。
〃I can't believe I didn't bring a camera。〃
He swallowed another mouthful of beer。
〃Maybe you should go find one；〃 I suggested。
〃You think they'd have those little disposable cameras around here？〃
〃Only French ones。〃
He hesitated for a moment； then gave me a dirty look。
〃I'll be back；〃 he said。
Of course； he left his ticket and passport in the pocket of the coat draped over his chair； and when the announcement came that we were about to board； I got an urgent text message on my pager that no one would let him back inside the lounge。 He was waiting at the desk； face flushed with anger； a security guard beside him。
〃Sorry；〃 I said； handing one of the attendants Marino's passport and ticket。
〃Let's not begin the trip this way；〃 I said to him under my breath as we walked back through the lounge； following other passengers to the plane。
〃I told them I'd go get it。 Bunch of French sons of bitches。 If people would speak English like they're supposed to； this kinds； shit wouldn't happen。〃
Our seats were together； but fortunately； the plane wasn't full； so I moved across the aisle from him。 He seemed to take this personally until I gave him half of my chicken with lime sauce； my sponge roll with vanilla mousse； and my chocolates。 I had no idea how many beers he drank； but he was …up and down a lot； making his way along the narrow aisle while we flew twice the speed of sound。 We arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport at 6：20 P。m。
A dark blue Mercedes was waiting for us outside the terminal； and Marino tried to strike up a conversation with the driver； who would neither let him sit in the front seat nor pay any attention to him。 Marino sullenly smoked out his window； cold air washing in as he watched abject apartments scarred with graffiti and miles of switchyards draw us into a lit…up skyline of a modern city。 The great corporate gods of Hertz； Honda； Technics and Tosh